Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at a university event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.
The event was part of his “American Comeback Tour” and billed as a debate-style forum under the banner “Prove Me Wrong.” Roughly 3,000 people attended. Kirk was engaged in a discussion on mass shootings, answering questions from the audience when the unthinkable happened.
The Question That Preceded the Shooting
A member of the audience asked Kirk: “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been shooters over the last 10 years?” Kirk responded, “Too many.”
The dialogue continued with the same audience member stating a number (five), and then asking: “How many mass shooters have there been in America over the last 10 years?”
His Final Words
Immediately following that question, Kirk was asked if that was “counting or not counting gang violence?” He uttered that phrase—“Counting or not counting gang violence?”—just seconds before a gunshot rang out and struck him in the neck.
These words have since emerged as the final public statement he made before the fatal attack. Witnesses say he didn’t finish answering before the shot, and chaos erupted instantly.
After the Shot
Witnesses described seeing Kirk clutch his neck, with blood visible, then collapse.
The crowd panicked; people ducked, ran, and some dove for cover. Law enforcement confirmed a single shot was fired from a building rooftop approximately 200 yards from the stage, though the shooter’s exact identity was not immediately confirmed.
Reactions & Claims
Following confirmation of Kirk’s death, political leaders and public figures responded swiftly. Utah’s governor characterized the act as a “political assassination.”
Some commentators said his final words—especially the question about “gang violence”—took on eerie significance given the context. Kirk’s allies argued that this moment reflects deep polarization and rising threats around political speech in public forums.
Why These Final Words Resonated
Those last words have drawn attention for multiple reasons:
- They were delivered in a live, contentious debate about identity, violence, and social issues.
- The line poses a question about how mass shootings are counted, specifically whether certain categories of violence (like gang violence) are included or excluded—a matter of statistical and ethical contention.
- Delivered just before the violence, the words underscore the tenuous relationship between public speech, vulnerability, and risk in politically charged environments.
